Biological Survey — Genesee River 61 



Co.). Food: a 3 incli lisli eoiitaiued 3 midge larvae {Ghiroiidmidae) and a 

 niiimte quantity of mud. A .li/i int'h individual fontaiiiod the claw of a 

 small crayfish (Camharus) in its intestine. 



Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus. — German carp. An intri^duced fish. Locally 

 common in deep, sluggish parts of the Genesee river, the lower waters of 

 some of the largest tributaries and in the lakes. Very common in the lower 

 Genesee river in the spring when it runs from Lake Ontario to spawn. 

 Warm waters, especially among weeds. Not regarded by most persons as a 

 good food fish. Many anglers consider it destructive. 



AXGULLLIDAE Eels 



AnfjiiiUa rostrata ( Le Sueur). — Common eel. Present in Lake Ontario 

 ( Evermann and Kendall 1901) and is occasionally taken in the Genesee river 

 near its moutli according to fishei'men. Occurs above Rochester falls Imt is 

 lare. (Mr. Edw. 8. Bush of Rochester has taken it alwut lU miles south of 

 the city.) Does not occur aljove Portageville falls. A good food fish though 

 rare in our region. 



Clupeidae Herrings 



Pomolohus pseudo-harengus (Wilson). — Alewife, sawbelly. Abundant in 

 liake Ontario. Enters the mouth of the Genesee river in spring to spawn 

 in great numbers. Young were found moderately common in the river near 

 its mouth on September 6. 1920. Dr. T. H. Beaii (Bean 1884) believes that 

 this fish was unintentionally introduced into Lake Ontario with fry of slr:id. 

 The alewife was first oliserved in the lake in 1873 according to this authority. 

 Dr. H. M. Smitli (Smith 1892) states that the alewife has little commercial 

 value as a food fish. Young individuals are used as bait in Lake Ontario. 



COBEGONIDAE Whitefishes 



Coregonus elupeaformis (Mitchill). — Common whitefish. Present in Hem- 

 lock lake; reported to occur in Silver lake. The one specimen from Hemlock 

 lake was taken on September 19, 1926, and is 7^/4 inches long. Much larger 

 ones are said to occur here, though they are seldom seen as they inhabit 

 deej) waters and do not take a l)ait readily. An excellent food fish but 

 unimportant here. 



Lenoichihgs artedi (Le Sueur). — A colored plate by S. F. Denton, pub- 

 lished with Dr. T. H. Bean's report on the "Food and Game Fishes of Xew 

 "^Ork" (1901), bears the name "Cisco from Hemlock lake {Argyrosomus 

 artedi Le Sueur)". Some species of cisco iniiabit Hemlock lake according 

 to fishermen of the vicinity and on Se])teniber 19, 192(5, we oljserved -fishes 

 of this type jumjung at the surface of the lake but were unable to collect any 

 specimens. 



Salmonidae ^Salmons 



Halmo fario Linnaeus. — Brown trout, German brown tiout. An introduced 

 species. Locally common, Ijeing well estaldished in nearly all streams suit- 

 able for it. Requires cool waters (having a maximum temperature of not 

 over about 80° F. ) . The most common trout of the region. An excellent 

 food fish and game fish. Food of 10 individuals taken in the Genesee river 

 during June, July and August 1920 was: hind insects 43.17f, aquatic insects 

 37.8%, snails (3 stomachs) 4.2%, suckers {Catostomus commersonnii, 1 

 stomach) 4%, minnows (1 lihinichthys atronasus and 1 unidentifiable, 2 

 stomachs) SA'^/c, crawfish (1 stomach) 1.8%, grass seeds (3 stomaclis) 

 0.7%, unidentified 5%. These trout ranged from (i to 12. inches in length. 



Salmo irideus Gibbons. — Rainbow trout. An introduced species. Locally 

 common. The temperature requirements are aliout the same as those of the 

 )>rown trout, though the rainljow will ])eiha]»s tolerate slightly warmer water 

 than the latter. 



Rainbow trout have ])een introduced into many of the trout waters of the 

 region but do not mature and reproduce well in a stream unless it is 

 tril)utary to a large, cool body of water. In this region one of the best 

 rainl)ow streams is the Genesee river north of Belmont. Fish irom this water 

 have the Belmont dam to stop them in theii- downward migration after the 

 spawning run in the spring. 



